The classes, as Percy expected were much more fun than he thought they would be. They had to study the night skies through their telescopes everyWednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and themovements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to thegreenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witchcalled Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strangeplants and fungi, and found out what they were used for.
The most boring class History of Magic was basically a naptime for them, now he knows why his mum got a 'D' in History of Magic.
Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had tostand on a pile of books to see over his desk. And he doesn't give homework but tells them to practice spells.
Although McGonagall, head of Gryffindor wasn't a teacher to cross and like Dumbledore full of surprises
Harry and Ron are running in the corridors because they are late for Transfiguration class. In the class, a tabby cat is sitting on a desk. Harry and Ron rush in; Hermione rolls her eyes in annoyance while Percy sniggered knowing what was going to happen.
"Whew, we made it. Can you imagine the look on McGonagall's face if we were late?"
The cat jumps off the desk and to their amazement transforms into Professor McGonagall.
"That was bloody brilliant," said Ron
"Thank you for that assessment, Mr Weasley. Perhaps if I were to transfigure Mr Potter and yourself into a pocket watch, that way one of you might be on time."
" We got lost," said Harry
"Then perhaps a map? I trust you don't need one to find your seats."
They took their seats. After everyone wrote the notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Hermione Granger and Percy Jackson had made any difference to their matches; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave both students a rare smile
The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic ("a vampire isn't going to pop out of nowhere!" Percy exclaimed) His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, ("Yeah right!")
"What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar on his porridge.
"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favours them — we'll be able to see if it's true."
"Wish McGonagall favoured us," said Percy joining in. "Look how much homework we got."
Just then, the mail arrived. Percy's family owl. An eagle owl by the name of Mercury came down and handed him a letter and a small package. Percy scribbled that he had gotten used to the classes and saying thanks to the blue candy.
"Thanks, Mercury," said Percy handing the owl a biscuit and flew off
Later on, it was potions, inside Snape's potions classroom, everyone was chattering, sitting near their cauldrons. The door slams open and Snape comes rushing in.
"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few..." he looks at the Slytherins "who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper... in death."
Snape turns towards Harry, writing what Snape said in his lecture down. "Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confidant enough to not...pay...attention."
Percy nudges Harry, finally making him look up to the Professor. Snape then walks to where he can speak to Harry more properly.
"Mr Potter. Our...new...celebrity. Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
"I don't know, sir," said Harry.
Snape's lips curled into a sneer.
"You don't know? Well, let's try again. Where, Mr Potter, would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?
"Oh, that's child play." Percy thought raising his hand. But Snape ignored both of theirs
"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter.
"I don't know, sir."
"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"
Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.
"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.
"Clearly, Hermione knows. Since it's a pity not to ask her."
A few people laughed, and Hermione looked surprised. Snape, however, was not pleased.
"Silence!" he turns to Harry, looking a bit insulted; Harry seemingly gulps. Snape then walks over to his desk. To Hermione, who has still got her hand up. "And put your hand down, you silly girl. For your information, Potter... asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful, it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying this down?
Everyone started to write down what Snape said. Snape returns to his desk and dips his quill into some ink.
"And Gryffindors, note that a point will be taken from your house... for your classmate's cheek."
Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued.Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like and strangely enough Percy. Probably because he and his mum were friends. She told him stories about how she, Snape and someone called Lily Evans would have fun together.
Then clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.
"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilt potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"
Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.
"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.
"You — Potter — why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thoughhe'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another pointyou've lost for Gryffindor."
Hermione who was working with Percy opened her mouth but Percy nudged her.
"Don't," he muttered. "Snape can turn nasty sometimes."
"You met him," Hermione whispered.
"A couple of times," he replied. "He and my mum were friends."
They left the class with a furious Gryffindor.
"Cheer up," said Percy, "Snape's always taking points off me."
In the great hall, around midday. The students are all doing their homework. Seamus is trying a spell on a cup which resulted in the cup exploding and Seamus is left charred.
Then mail comes, Percy got another letter from his mum and a batch of dozen blue chocolate chip cookies, he ate his fourth one when Seamus exclaimed.
"Hey, look! Neville's got a Remembrall!"
"I've read about those. When the smoke turns red, it means you've forgotten something." Hermione said, just then the smoke turns red.
"The only problem is, I can't remember what I've forgotten."
"Want one," said Percy to Harry passing a cookie.
"No thanks. Hey, Perce, somebody broke into Gringotts, listen Believed to be the work of dark witches or wizards unknown, Gringotts goblins, while acknowledging the breach, insist that nothing was taken. The vault in question, number 713, had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. That's odd. That's the vault Hagrid and I went to.
"The thief might have gone into the wrong vault," Percy suggested. "Maybe he wanted to go to the next one." But he sounded unsure.
The next Thursday afternoon, Flying lessons would be starting— and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.
"Typical," said Harry darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."
"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."
Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the House Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters. He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom and Percy played one on one quidditch with his mum, who was a seeker for the Gryffindor team. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. Ron and Percy already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared their dormitory, about soccer. Both boys couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly and even Percy tried to burn the poster down although he almost caused a bonfire which got him week detention.
At three-thirty afternoon, the Griffyndors and Slytherins were lined up in two rows with brooms by their sides. The teacher, Madam Hooch, comes down the line. She has short hair and hawk yellow eyes. She looked mid-thirties but Percy knew she must be three times the age she looks.
"Good afternoon, class."
"Good afternoon, Madam Hooch." the whole classes recited
"Good afternoon, good afternoon. Welcome to your first flying lesson. Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick. Come on now, hurry up. Stick your right hand over the broom and say, up!
"Up!"
At once, Percy's broom flew into his hand.
"Knew it," he said smugly.
So did a few such as Harry's and Draco's shot up instantly. Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all
"With feeling!" she ordered
"UP!" Ron said and his broom immediately shot up and whacked him on the nose
"Shut up, Percy." But Ron too started to laugh after he recovered.
Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Harry, Percy and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years and that Percy and Ron had been doing it properly.
"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three —two —"
But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.
"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle — twelve feet — twenty feet
"Mr Longbottom-!"
WHAM — He fell down with a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay facedown on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sigh
Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.
"Oh, dear. It's a broken wrist. Tch, tch, tch. Good boy, come on now, up you get. Everyone's to keep their feet firmly on the ground while I take Mr Longbottom to the hospital wing. Understand? If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before they can say, Quidditch.
She leaves to the hospital wing. No sooner were they out of earshot, Malfoy swaggered and snatched a glass ball out of the grass
"Look!" said Malfoy. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."
"Give it here, Malfoy," Harry said confidently
Malfoys turned towards him. "No. I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find." He hops on his broom and soars around the group, then through. "How 'bout up on the roof?" and he soars off and hovers several feet above the grounds. "What's the matter, Potter? A bit beyond your reach?"
Harry grabbed his broom.
"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move —you'll get us all into trouble. Besides, you don't even know how to fly."
Harry ignored her and flies off to face Draco
"What an idiot." said Hermione.
"I think he's brilliant." said Percy. "Come on Harry!"
They couldn't hear much but Percy knew that Malfoy goaded him because Harry shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady.
Then Malfoy shouted out loud.
"Catch it if you can, then!" and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.
He leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down. He stretched out his hand — a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass with theRemembrall clutched safely in his fist
The Griffyndors cheer as Harry lands back on the ground at ease. They run to see him.
"That was wicked Harry," said Percy clapping his back.
"HARRY POTTER!"
It was Professor McGonagall who wasrunning toward them
"Never — in all my time at Hogwarts —"
Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock and her glasses flashed furiously, "— how dare you — might have broken your neck —"
"It wasn't his fault, Professor —"
"Be quiet, Miss Patil —"
"But Malfoy —"
"That's enough, Mr Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."
Once McGonagall was gone, Malfoy said triumphantly. "Well, it seems that Potter's going to be expelled."
Percy took his wand and was about to hex the blondie when Madam Hooch came.
"What in Merlin's beard happened?" Madam Hooch said. "When nobody answered, she said. "Never mind, go back to your dormitories."
The Griffyndors went first scowling at the Slytherins while they merely snickered behind their backs.